‘Divine intervention’ cause of Pacquiao absence from Manila Pen

MANILA –Senator Manny Pacquiao badly wanted to join the press conference with his three fellow presidential candidates on Sunday but air traffic, which his camp called a “divine intervention”, prevented him from doing so.

In a statement Tuesday, Pacquiao’s campaign chief, Buddy Zamora, blamed air traffic congestion at Ninoy Aquino International Airport for the delayed arrival from General Santos City and eventual failure to make it to the event at The Peninsula Manila Hotel in Makati City.

The champion boxer’s plane hovered for about an hour before it was allowed to land, Zamora said.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, former National Security adviser Norberto Gonzales, and Senator Panfilo Lacson, along with vice presidential hopefuls Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Dr. Willie Ong, were at the presscon that affirmed their commitments to fight electoral sabotage, among others.

“It was divine intervention that prevented Senator Manny Pacquiao from attending the controversial joint press conference of his fellow presidentiables,” read the Pacquiao camp statement.

In an interview over news channel ANC’s “Headstart”, Zamora said Pacquiao had “every intention of joining” the presscon because he gave his word to Lacson. 

“He couldn’t make it on time. We (campaign team) were not privy to the invitation. We were on vacation at that time. This happened on Easter Sunday. So the decision of Sen. Pacquiao was made in GenSan and without our prior knowledge,” he said.

Zamora said Pacquiao shared the concern of his fellow presidentiables on persistent calls for their withdrawal but agreed with the call for unity.

He made it clear that unlike Domagoso, Pacquiao does not want Vice President Leni Robredo to withdraw from the presidential race.

“Mr. Pacquiao believes that the choice is up to the people and since everybody filed the candidacy for the presidency, he’d want the choice to be really coming from the people, not because of withdrawal,“ Zamora said.